Group continuous electric outlet



June 23, 1942. H. FRIEND 2,287,096

GROUP CONTINUOUS ELECTRIC OUTLET Filed Aug. 1, 1940 INVENTORJ Fl? HERMANFwA P,

hi ATTORNEY.

Patented June 23, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application August 1,1940, Serial No. 349,040

10 Claims. (Cl. 173334.1)

This invention relates to outlets for electric current in buildings andother appropriate places, and has for its main object to provide adevice wherein a group of electric outlets are arranged, the individualoutlets of the group being connected to two continuous main conductors.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent as the specification ofthe same proceeds, and among others I may mention: to provide a deviceas characterized hereinbefore, in which all the electro-conductive partsare safely insulated and only distinct separate individual openings orsockets are left for the insertion of the various plugs for the outletsof the electricity; to provide a device as characterized hereinbefore,which will be extremely simple in construction, cheap to manufacture andeasy to assemble, to apply or to remove; to provide a device which maybe used independently of the parts of the building as a separateindependent unit or which may be built into the walls of the building toany length desired, and which may be adapted to be used as a regularmolding of the building at the same time possibly also being adapted tocarry additional wires, like those of the telephone connection.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification and accompanying thesame:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation through that form of the device which isadapted to be built into the wall of the building, and

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a perspective detail showing an improved form of my mainconductors;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portable device built according to myinvention;

Fig. 5 is a perspective end elevation showing a modification of thehousing of my device;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of a novel corner connection betweenmy main electric conductors, and

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevational view taken on the line l! of Fig. 6.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail by characters of reference,the numeral I0 represents a central insulator bar used in my device, oneform of the cross section thereof being indicated in Fig. 1, but, ofcourse, the same may take any other appropriate cross section, either tohave a more decorative front profile for the same instead of theoutwardly curved one shown in the drawing, or to have it entirely flatand in the plane of the wall into which my device is intended to bebuilt. V

An upper main electric conductor l2.is placed over the central insulatorbar I0 inv theposition indicatedin Fig. 1, said upper main conductorhaving an inner branch I3 placed on top of the central bar I0, and anouter branch. I4, thetwo being connected with a curved portion I5. Theconductor l2.is made of highly electro-conductive, but resilient sheetmaterial, like brass, copper, etc.

The inner end I6 of the inner branch I3 is bent in an vinclinedmanner,as indicated, and fits into the inclined groove I! at the upper inneredge or corner of the central bar II.

An insulating cover, generally indicated by the numeral I9 is placedover the upper mainoonductor I 2 in the mannerobvious from Fig. 1, saidinsulator protecting cover I9 being made of any appropriate insulatingsheet material, like Bakelite, hard rubber, or other similarcompositions, and in the preferred form shown, it has an upper sheetportion I8, a rear transverse portion 20, a rear base portion 2I,(indicated in the lower por-' tion of Fig. 1) the inner end of said baseportion being folded into a triangular form, as indicated at 22, adaptedto fit into the triangular slot I! in the upper inner corner of thecentral insulating rod I0, and over the inclinedly bent portion I6 inthe rear of the main conductor I2.

The front portion of the insulating cover I9 has a downward branch 23being brought close to or in contact with the central bar I0, asindicated at 24. I

At the lower or opposite side of the central bar I 0, a lower mainconductor 25 is arranged Q being identical to the upper conductor I2,but oppositely placed, and, similarly, an insulation cover 26 is alsoarranged at the other side of the bar vII for the second main conductor25, being identical to the'upper insulator cover I9, but placedreversely thereto.

A housing or casing 21 is provided for my device having upper and' lowermain transverse portions 28 and 29, upper and lower front portions 30and 3| bent over the respective front portions 23 of the insulatorcovers, but having a space 32 left between their inner edges andtherespective portion of the central bar I 0. The casing 21 will also haveupper and lower rear transverse portions 33 and 34 and upper and lowerbase portions 35 and 36, and a rear or bottom.

portion 31.

As will be seen, the stepped inner or bottom portion of the casing willfit snugly over the inner portion of the central bar II with the innerends of the upper and lower conductors and insulators covers added toit, and will keep said conductors and insulator covers in their placesby frictional action, as indicated in Fig. 1.

My device, the construction and parts of which have been explained inconnection with the sectional elevation of Fig. 1, may have any desiredlength, and such a length thereof will be built into the wall 38 of thebuilding, the upper and lower conductors having electro-conductiveinsulated wires secured thereto, said wires being connected to the nextavailable source of current in the building in any appropriate mannerthe details of such securing end connections being understood by thoseversed in this art and not being shown in the drawing.

The front elevation of Fig. 2 shows a certain length of my device builtinto the wall of the building, the left hand and right hand limitsthereof being indicated as at 4| and 42.

At appropriate distances from one another, upper and lower sockets orapertures 43 and 44 may be provided in the marginal portion of'theinsulator covers l8 and 25, respectively, said apertures 43 and 44 beingdiagonally opposite to one another and adjoining the central bar NJ, aswill be understood.

The apertures or openings 43 and 44 serve as the socket for a usualelectrical plug, one standard form of which is indicated at 45.

The use and operation of my device will be obvious from the hereindescription, but I desire to offer the following further remarksrelating thereto:

When it is desired to plug in to the electric current connected to theupper and lower main conductors l2 and 25, respectively, a plug 45 willbe moved in the direction of arrow 46 and its prongs 41 and 48 will bepushed through the apertures or sockets 43 and 44 and will be pushedbetween the inner branches l3 of the upper and lower main conductors l2and 25, and the upper and lower surfaces lfia and [0b of the centralinsulating bar l0, and, through the resilient action of said mainconductors, they will have a close contact therewith along their wholeouter surface, and said prongs 41 and 48 will be snugly held in thesockets 43 and 44 and to the rear of them.

In this manner, any desired electrical devices or instruments may beconnected to my main conductors l2 and 25, and through them to the housecurrent through the Various pairs of sockets 43 and 44.

It is obvious that my device may be built into the wall of any desiredroom in a building, or apartment, or a shop, warehouse, ofi'ice, etc.,and it may have any desired length therein. If desired, it may run alongthe whole length of a wall, and it may even run around the corners andbe built into two or more walls along their entire length to make theoriginal current fed to their continuous main conductors l2 and 25available at any desired place in the room in question in a quick andsafe manner.

The front of my device may be developed in an ornamental manner, or itmay be painted similarly to the rest of the wall so that only thesockets 43 and 44 will be observable.

The central bar [0, the insulator covers, and the outer housing of mydevice may be made of any desired length, easily put together, and themain conductors l2 and 25 may have unlimited lengths, so that noelectric break will be necessary in said conductors no matter how long agroup continuous electric outlet device will be built according to myinvention.

Indeed, main conductors according to this invention may be manufacturedand shipped in rolls of great lengths and cut to the desired lengthswhen my device is built and assembled, but, of course, my device alsomay be assembled and shipped ready from the factory in any desiredlengths.

In Fig. 3 I indicate a modified form of my main conductors, the oneshown in Fig. 3 being the upper conductor [2, but of course, the lowerconductor 25 may be manufactured in an entirely similar form. In thismodification, the upper or outer branch 14 and the curved connectingportion I5 may have incisions 49 at predetermined distances, suchincisions increasing the yielding and elastic character of the device.

It will be obvious that, notwithstanding such incisions, the intactportion of the whole conductor l2 will take care of the safe conductingof the electricity throughout the entire length of the main conductor12. It is also obvious that, vice-versa, incisions may be made atcertain places in the inner branch l3 also, as indicated at 50, or thatthe incisions 49 may partly go over into the inner branch l3, and theincisions 50 may partly go over into the outer branch [4, as desired.

In Fig. 4 I indicate a specific portable form of my device, generallyindicated by the numeral 5!, which as to its construction, operation anduse, is entirely similar to the one indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 anddescribed hereinbefore in detail. The only difference being that thesame is made of a desired length assembled and shipped ready from themanufacturing place, and it may have two end closure plates 52 ofinsulating material or insulated from the conductors I2 and 25 therein.

The upper and lower main conductors have insulated wires 53 and 54connected therewith, said insulated wires terminating in a plug 55 bywhich the device may be plugged into any appropriate outlet or socket atthe place of use. In this manner, a group of outlets are providedthrough my portable device at any place desired, like a shop, kitchen,etc., without any special construction, assembly and building, and saidgroup outlet may be removed at any time de sired.

Into the outlet sockets thereof any desired instrument or device liketools, lights, machines, electrical devices, irons, etc., may be pluggedin.

In Fig. 5 I illustrate a modification for the housing of my device. Thehousing of my device in this modification may have an upper ornamentalextension 56 by which the same may be formed into an ornamental molding,and in this manner, may be used along the wall of the building or alongthe corners of the floor. In this modification, I may provide achannels] into which insulated wires may be placed so'that my novelmolding will provide means to carry wires for other purposes, like forthe telephone, such wires being placed into the channel 51 through itsopen end 58, or similarly removed therefrom when desired.

It will be obvious that the ornamental molding 56 may take many otherforms and the channel 51 may'also be of many other formations andarrangements therein.

My group continuous outlet device may be secured into the wall by anydesired manner; through-going screws 59 being indicated'inthe drawing,and such screws may also be used with the movable embodiment of Fig. 4,or it may be secured in its place by any other obvious manner.

In Figs. 6 and 7, I indicate one form of corner connection for mycontinuous group electric outlets when it is desired to carry themaround a corner of a building.

In the fragmentary view of Fig. 6, the end of my device in on of thewalls is indicated by the numeral 60, and the end of the other one bythe numeral 6 l, and the ends of the respective upper main conductors bythe numerals In and l2b. An angular electro-conductive metal piece 62 isprovided in the corner for the electrical connection between the devicesl2a and l2b, its respective branches 62a and 62b being pushed betweenthe inner and outer branches of the respective conductors I211 and l2b,as generally indicated in Fig. ,7. In this manner, without anyinstrument or securing means, a very reliable strong electricalconnection may be provided between the corner piece 62 and the two mainconductors [2a and I21), and the respective front edges of the extension62a and 62b may be made rounded to fit into the rounded portions I5connecting the upper and lower branches l3 and M of the respective mainconductors I21]. and I21).

I also want to remark that to insure that the prong 41 will not byaccident mak a short circuit contact with the edge of the front of theouter casing, the portion of the insulator l9 separated to make theaperture 43 preferably is bent upwardly, as at 63, to cover the edge ofthe outer casing at that place.

It is obvious that the respective lower apertures 44 may be treated in asimilar manner and covered by a portion of the insulating device, as at64.

What I claim as new, is:

1. In a continuous group electric outlet, having a central longitudinalinsulating bar and an elongated plate-like electric conductorresiliently yieldingly placed against each of the two sides of saidcentral bar, a plate-like elongated insulator cover placed over each ofsaid conductors covering their front, rear, and their broad outer sides,the rear portions of the conductors and of the insulator covers closelyfitting against the rear portions of said outer sides of the centralinsulator bar, and an elongated housing of sheet material for thedevice, the front part of the side walls thereof being spaced apart fromsaid insulator covers, and the rear portions of them being set closelyover the rear portions of the insulator covers, the front of saidinsulator covers and said housing exposing the front of said insulatorbar, and the rear wall of said housing snugly fitting against the backof said central insulator bar whereby said insulator covers and saidconductors are held in place at the sides of said insulator bar, meansbeing provided between the sides of said insulator bar and the front ofsaid insulator covers and of said housing, whereby the prongs of anelectric plug may be inserted between the respective sides of saidinsulator bar and the conductors on them, said conductors pressingagainst said prongs by resilient action.

2. In a continuous group electric conductor, as set forth in claim 1,depressions in the rear of said insulator bar, the rear portions of saidconductors and said insulator covers being hooked into said depressions.

3. In a continuous group electric outlet, as set forth in claim 1, thefront edges of said insulator covers being closely set against therespective sides of said central insulator bar, and the edges in thefront opening of said housing being at a pre-determined distancetherefrom, apertures being provided in said insulator covers adjacent tosaid insulator bar to permit the insertion of said prongs atpre-determined places, the material of said insulator covers at saidapertures being bent outwardly over the adjacent portions of the edgesof the front of said housing to protect the material of said housingfrom contacting said prongs.

4. In a portable continuous group electric outlet, having a centrallongitudinal insulating bar and an elongated plate-like electricconductor resiliently yieldingly placed against each of the two sides ofsaid central bar, a plate-like elongated insulator cover placed overeach of said conductors covering their front, rear, and their broadouter sides, the rear portions of the conductors and of the insulatorcovers closely fitting against the rear portions of said outer sides ofthe central insulator bar, and an elongated housing of sheet materialfor the device, the front part of the side Walls thereof being spacedapart from said insulator covers, and the rear portions of them beingset closely over the rear portions of the insulator covers, the front ofsaid insulator covers and said housing exposing the front of saidinsulator bar, and the rear wall of said housing snugly fitting againstthe back of said central insulator bar whereby said insulator cover andsaid conductors are held in place at the sides of said insulator bar,means being provided between the sides of said insulator bar and thefront of said insulator covers and of said housing, whereby the prongsof an electric plug may be inserted between the respective sides of saidinsulator bar and the conductors on them, said conductors pressingagainst said prongs by resilient action, two end walls for said housingand two insulated electric conductors passing through one of said endwalls to connect the elongated plate-like conductors in the device tothe respective poles of a source of current, and means to secure saidcentral insulator bar to the rear wall of said housing.

5. A continuous group electric outlet, comprising an elongated housingof sheet material, having side walls, a rear wall, and an open frontwall, an insulator bar on the rear wall of said housing substantiallyextending the whole length of the housing, the front of said bar beingexposed through the opening in the front wall, two

elongated sheet electric conductors resiliently yieldingly placedagainst the two sides of the insulator bar, an elongated plate-likeinsulator cover placed over each of said conductors, having a frontwall, space being left between the front Walls of the housing and theinsulator covers, and the respective sides of the insulator bar, wherebyprongs of an electric plug may be inserted between the respective sidesof the bar and the conductors thereon, the front portion of saidconductors being folded doubled in a generally U shaped cross section,with a rounded front or bottom wall for said U, to increase theresilient action of said conductors and to facilitate the insertion ofsaid prongs, said insulator covers providing wider spaces at the doubledportions of said conductors, the rear of the conductors and of theinsulator covers, however, being closely set against the rear portion ofthe insulator bar.

6. A continuous group electric outlet, comprising an elongated housingof sheet material, having side walls, a rear wall, and an open frontwall, an insulator bar on the rear wall of said housing substantiallyextending the whole length of the housing, the front of said bar beingexposed through the opening in the front wall, two elongated sheetelectric conductors resiliently yieldingly placed against the two sidesof the insulator bar, an elongated plate-like insulator cover placedover each of said conductors, having a front wall, space being leftbetween the front walls of the housing and the insulator covers, and therespective sides of the insulator bar, whereby prongs of an electricplug may be inserted between the respective sides of the bar and theconductors thereon, the front portion of said conductors being foldeddoubled in a generally U shaped cross section, with a rounded front orbottom wall for said U, to increase the resilient action of saidconductors and to facilitate the insertion of said prongs, saidinsulator covers providing wider spaces at the doubled portions of saidconductors, the rear of the conductors and of the insulator covers,however, being closely set against the rear portion of the insulatorbar, said housing also having a wider front portion and a narrower rearportion, the side walls of said rear portion snugly fitting over therespective rear portions of said insulator bar, conductors andinsulatorcovers.

7. A continuous group electric outlet, compris ing an elongated housingof sheet material, having side walls, a rear wall, and an open frontwall, an insulator bar on the rear wall of said housing substantiallyextending the whole length of the housing, the front of said bar beingexposed through the opening in the front wall, two elongated sheetelectric conductors resiliently yieldingly placed against the two sidesof the insulator bar, an elongated plate-like insulator cover placedover each of said conductors, having a front wall, space being leftbetween the front walls of the housing and the insulator covers, and therespective sides of the insulator bar, whereby prongs of an electricplug may be inserted between the respective sides of the bar and theconductors thereon, the front portion of said conductors being foldeddoubled in a generally U shaped cross section, with a rounded front orbottom wall for said U, to increase the resilient action of saidconductors and to facilitate the insertion of said prongs, saidinsulator covers providing wider spaces at the doubled portions of saidconductors, the rear of the conductors and of the insulator covers,however, being closely set against the rear portion of the insulatorbar, said housing also having a wider front portion and a narrower rearportion, the side walls of said rear portion snugly fitting over therespective rear portions of said insulator bar, conductors and insulatorcovers, depressions being provided in the rear of said insulator bar,the rear ends of said conductors and said insulator covers being hookedinto said depressions.

8. A continuous group electric outlet, comprising an elongated housingof sheet material, having side walls, a rear wall, and an open frontwall, an insulator bar on the rear wall of said housing substantiallyextending the whole length of the housing, the front of said bar beingexposed through the opening in the front wall, two

elongated sheet electric conductors resiliently yieldingly placedagainst the two sides of the insulator bar, an elongated plate-likeinsulator cover placed over each of said conductors, having a frontwall, space being left between the front walls of the housing and theinsulator covers, and the respective sides of the insulator bar, wherebyprongs of an electric plug may be inserted between the respective sidesof the bar and the conductors thereon, the front walls of said insulatorcovers being closely set against said insulator bar, the edges of theopening in the front wall of said housing being set at a predetermineddistance from said insulator bar, and apertures being provided in thefront of said insulator covers to permit the insertion of said prongs ofan electric connector plug, the material of the insulator coverseparated to form said apertures being bent over the adjacent marginalportions of the front wall of said housing to prevent an electricalcontact between said prongs and said housing.

9. A portable conductor group electric outlet, comprising an elongatedhousing of sheet material, having side walls, a rear wall, and an openfront wall, an insulator bar on the rear wall of said housingsubstantially extending the whole length of the housing, the front ofsaid bar being exposed through the opening in the front wall, twoelongated sheet electric conductors resiliently yieldingly placedagainst the two sides of the insulator bar, an elongated plate-likeinsulator cover placed over each of said conductors having a front wall,space being left between the front walls of the housing and theinsulator covers, and the respective sides of the insulator bar, wherebyprongs of an electric plug may be inserted between the respective sidesof the bar and the conductors thereon, the front portion of saidconductors being folded doubled in a generally U shaped cross sectionwith a rounded front or bottom wall for said U, to increase theresilient action of said conductors and to facilitate the insertion ofsaid prongs, said insulator covers providing wider spaces at the doubledportions of said conductors, the rear of the conductors and of theinsulator covers, however, being closely set against the rear portion ofthe insulator bar, said housing also having a wider front portion and anarrower rear portion, the side walls of said rear portion snuglyfitting over the respective rear portions of said insulator bar,conductors and insulator covers, two end walls for said housinginsulated from said conductors, and means to electrically connect saidconductors through one of said end walls with the respective poles of asource of current.

10. In a portable group electric outlet, as set forth in claim 9, thefront walls of said insulator covers being closely set against saidinsulator bar, the edges of the opening in the front wall of saidhousing being set at a pre-determined distance from said insulator bar,and apertures being provided in the front of said insulator covers topermit the insertion of said prongs of an electric connector plug, thematerial of the insulator cover separated to form said apertures beingbent over the adjacent marginal portions of the front wall of saidhousing to prevent an electrical contact between said prongs and saidhousing.

HERMAN FRIEND.

